I Choose You
by lvlylve
Summary: A collection of Marecal oneshots after War Storm.
1. Life the Year After

**The chapter is to set some exposition/context of how Norta and MareCal are doing right now.**

It's been a year. With the advice of Davidson and Montfort, Cal was helping Norta become more of a democratic nation. Hence why many of the higher houses moved to piedmont or the lakelands where they could scrounge for power. With the help of Julian, the school systems were corrected, having a better, more educational curriculum. Along the aid of Cameron and her father, the working conditions of New Town have been improved as well as giving the workers fair pay to support themselves. Annabel guided Cal in settling peace with the Lakelands, leaving Norta to build itself on its own.

After three months in Montfort, I willed myself to see Cal again. We sent a few letters back, short catch ups of how we were doing followed by brief expression of love. When we met up again, we confirmed our choices to each other. I wanted to go back to Montfort for a while more and Cal had to stay here to clean up the mess that was left. Although we both knew what our choices would be before we said them, Cal was still upset that I was leaving him here alone to pick up what I helped destroy. Ultimately he understood, though, because it hard for me to being in a place with so many harsh memories.

While in Norta, I visited Maven's grave. I wasn't ready but I don't think I ever would be. Cal didn't blame me for his death, convinced that it had to be done. _That it was already done._ _That_ _he was never truly alive._ Still, he grieved him. Briefly, and not anything to deep, but some part of Cal hung on to the Maven he knew when they were children.

His grave was engraved with his name and the years he was alive. Nothing more. Although I knew he was dead, several feet below me in a coffin made of silver stone, I still felt unsettled.

The day after, I returned to Montfort. Still feeling unsettled, broken after events of the two years, it took a lot of talks from many people to convince that I'm not going to feel any better in a while and it would be better to be with Cal, heal together. So after only a month in Montfort, I came back to Norta. It was a difficult adjustment and I missed my family horribly. I made sure to visit them once every two to three weeks and write letters to them in between then.

However, it was nice to be closer to Cal. Of course we had our own demons between us, though. We had a tense conversation about Maven, then about me leaving to be in Montfort, followed a week later by a talk about my family. With those topics out of the way, I was quickly filled in with the details of what was happening in Norta. Of course I knew the basics through our letters and general news. Within a month we were back to our relationship, if we were able to have one in the midst of the war.

Once we were settled with each other, I coaxed Cal to come with me to Montfort to meet my family. All of them, except my mother, were a bit resentful of him after he broke my heart a year ago. But they tried their best to warm up to him. After four visits over the course of five months, they all accepted him.

Still forming the ruling system in Norta, Cal was in charge by default until they set something up. We ultimately want a elective system like in Montfort but we don't have the means for that yet. Although I'm sure Cal would be elected anyway.

Together we lived in the castle, Cal tending to duties in the day and us having fun in the night ( ;) ).

A little over a year after winning the battle in Ceasars Square, Cal and I visit Montfort to see my family and Cal surprises me with something I did not see coming.

 **Can you guess what Cal will do? I'll try to update in the next few days.**


	2. I Choose You Forever

As we walk through the door of the house, we're greeted by my family. Mom, Dad, Bree, Tramy, Gisa. One by one, they hug us and mutter an 'I missed you' or a 'I'm glad you're back.' When they've all finished, they give an expectant look towards Cal. He shuts them off with a glare.

"So, what's it like in Norta?" Dad asks, introducing a conversation topic.

"It's the same," I reply.

"The updated curriculum in schools and the new working conditions are in place everywhere now," Cal adds for me, looking down at me.

"It's nice to see Norta coming together," Mom comments.

Awkwardly, Cal nods. "There's still a lot of things to do."

"It's still progress," Gisa finishes. "It must be stressful fixing a nation, though. Why don't you two go on a walk?"

"But we just got here," I protest.

"Oh come on. Nothing's changed and we can talk later over dinner," Bree pushes.

"Actually," Cal says, "I've been wanting to walk in the gardens. Mare?"

"Cal and I have been together the past five weeks. I want to hang out with you guys," I exclaim.

"It's okay. Just go," Tramy says, physically pushing me towards the door. Part of me wonders why they're so eager for me to leave. The other part of me wants to take a peaceful walk with Cal after the hectic month.

Sighing, I mutter "fine" before turning to Cal. They look too pleased with themselves as we stroll through the door.

Intertwining my hand with Cal's, I ask, "What was that about?"

"I don't know," He says, lying. I can tell but I don't protest, wondering what Cal has planned.

Within a few minutes of walking, we find ourself emerged in beautiful scenery. When we walk far enough through the paved path, surrounded by beds of flowers and plants, to not see the outside of the garden, Cal says,

"Years ago, back when you were known as Mareena and we danced in secret in my room, I had no idea where we'd be know." He turns to me, bronze eyes tainted with love and memories. He let his hair grow out, leaving the ends to curl at his ears. Now they fall into his face.

Neglecting his hair, he continues, "And although I dared to dream, I never could of expected us to be here, together, when we were hiding and trying to gather newbloods." He holds my hands firm. "And then we went through a series of being together and then not. Too many at my own fault," He adds. "My heart broke too many times and I'm sure yours did too." I reflect back, to when I sacrificed myself for him, then to when Cal chose he thrown over me.

"And then, just a year ago, when everything was over and slowing down, you went to Montfort, which I understand, but I had keep hope that you would come back to me, and you did. Now that we've chosen each other again, I want to make sure it's the last time."

With that, he bends down to one knee. Completely surprised, I pull my hand away and stumble back a bit. We haven't talked about marriage yet, except for a short conversation a few weeks ago. _This must have been what my family was so pushy about_.

Cal keeps his grip on my hand, maintaining eye contact despite my fallout. "Mare Barrow, will will choose me and be my wife?"

Stunned, I stammer. "You- we- I don't-" I take a deep breath, composing myself. "We haven't talked about this," I say.

Cal's eyes don't falter, nor does his grip. "I know but I didn't think it needed discussing." His grip loosens a little. "We don't have to, though. If-"

"No," I blurt. "I mean yes. Yes, I'll marry you."

Cal's smile lights up. Quickly, he brings me into a hug, then a kiss. After a while, I part our lips.

"My family already knows, don't they?" I ask.

Grinning ear to ear, Cal responds, "I've been writing letters about it for a month.


	3. I Do

I wear a simple outfit of Gisa's creation. A flowy, cream dress with long sleeves. My hair rests off my shoulders, the blond ends creeping up. I decided that dyeing was an occasional thing, only for when I felt like it.

Instead of a veil, I wear a simple flower crown that Kilorn and Gisa helped me make yesterday. My ears sparkle with the five earrings I wear. _Bree, Tramy, Shade, Kilorn, Cal._

After getting ready, my dad peaks into the room. Suddenly nervous, I nod and let him lead through the hallways.

Once we get to the place of the ceremony, I grow nervous.

Thankfully, I have people to walk down the aisle before I do. First is Farley, wearing her General uniform, walking down with Bree. Then Gisa with Tramy. After them, Kilorn walks with Cameron. Lastly, little Clara shuffles down, tossing the occasional hand full of flowers. Farley picks her up when she reaches the end of the aisle. Then it's my turn.

I take my Dad's arm. In my hand is a bundle of wildflowers I picked this morning. With a deep breath, I step with him onto the aisle. I share a quick glance towards the guests. We kept the ceremony small, with only family and close friends. My gaze shifts to the front of the room where Julian is.

Julian and Sara exchanged vows a few months ago, with only Cal and I as witnesses.

I shift my gaze to Cal. His lips curl into a soft smile and I can tell even by this distance that his eyes are wide, full of love. With his hair combed back, he wears a simple black suit also made by Gisa.

We walk slowly. My dad has become good at walking over time. Soon we get to the end of the aisle.

My dad and Cal share a brief handshake before Cal turns to me. His amber eyes are engulfed in awe. On his checks, a soft blush of silver creeps through.

Taking my hands, I find myself blushing as well when he slips a 'you look beautiful' before Julian starts talking.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate Mare Barrow and Tiberias Calore the seventh." At the mention of his full name, Cal blushes a little more.

"All of us has been through so much to this point but I think it's safe to say that our struggles are paled compared to theirs. Although they've had their hardships and separations, they're here today to vow themselves to each other. If anyone has any objections, say them now or forever hold your peace." Anabel fidgets a little.

She didn't like me at first, blaming me for Cal refusing the crown. Although she knows that's not the case, she's still warming up to me.

After a moment of silence, Julian continues. "Now the couple will read some of the vows they've written. Cal."

Livid, Cal takes a slip of paper from Kilorn. "Mare," he starts, "I had no idea that when we first met that we would up here together. We found love in the most unexpected places. But I think that only proves how strong it is. How held on to us even when seemed impossible. I chose you and I will choose you a million more times. More than a million times. Mare Barrow, I love you," he finishes, grinning ear to ear. He hands the paper back to Kilorn.

Now it's my turn.

"Mare," Julian gestures.

I grab my vows from Gisa. "Tiberias," I tease, "Our relationship had a lot of in and outs. But through it all I hoped that we would make it through. And we did. I love you like I love no other and I'm so happy that I get to spend the rest of my life with you after- after everything." While saying this, I start crying. Through tear-filled eyes, I see Cal has too. "I chose you over everything. Cal, I love you," I finish. Gisa takes the note from my hand.

"Cal," Julian begins, "do you take Mare Barrow to be your wife?"

"I do," Cal answers through, a tear sliding down his cheek.

"Mare, do you take Tiberias Calore the Seventh to be your husband?"

Laughing a little at his full name, I reply, "I do."

"Then I pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Calore. You may kiss."

The crowd cheers as I leap up to kiss Cal. We devour each other for a bit before Kilorn clears his throat.

 _Cal, my husband. I can't believe it._


	4. I Think We Need a New Place

Soon after getting married, we got an apartment because Cal didn't like living in the castle. It had too many bed memories attached to it. The apartment was small but we didn't need much. Cal continued to work in government while I spent my time at electrical center.

A few people, including Farley and Cal, were beginning to rise up in government and making themselves known to the public for an election to happen.

One morning while waking up, I feel nauseous. Quickly, I rush to the bathroom and hurl over the toilet. Cal's at my heels. While puking, he pulls my hair out of my face. Once I'm done, I stand up steadily and wash my face.

Bracing my shoulders, Cal says, "You're staying home today."

"What, no," I protest turning to face him.

"You're not going out, not when you're sick," he says.

"I'm not sick," I reply, attempting to escape his grasp.

"You just puked your guts out," he comments.

"It was just that once, and I'm fine now. I mean I guess I'm a little nauseous, but I'm fine," I ramble. I feel like a pleading child, especially when Cal towers over me.

Sighing, Cal agrees, "fine, but take it easy." Leaving the room, Cal lets me wonder where my nausea came from.

Throughout the day, I remain nauseous. Because of this, I follow Cal's advice to relax. I observe while others work. Feeling out of place not doing much though, I leave, saying goodbye to a few as I go. While returning home, I decide to pay Sara a visit, both to reconnect with her and to see if it's just a fever.

Conveniently, she works in between where the electrical center and my apartment. She works as the nurse in the new school Julian is running. Walking down the halls trying to find the nursery, I run into Sara.

"Hey," I greet, "how have you been?"

"Good. All the children have been good." Her voice is like caramel. Smooth, sweet, soft. She glances at me up and down. As she does this, her smile lifts a little.

"That's good. I was just checking in. Though, I also have been nauseous throughout the day and I just wanted to see if I was getting sick," I explain.

"You're not sick." I sigh in relief. "You're pregnant."

"What?" I hiccup.

"Pregnant. I can sense it," She adds.

My heart skips a beat, then accelerates rapidly. Sweat starts to build on my cold forehead.

"How- how long?" I manage before erupting in a panic.

"Let's see," she responds while stepping towards me. Placing a hand on top of my stomach, I notice that I have butterflies dancing around in my belly. After a brief moment, she answers, "about seven weeks."

Stumbling backwards, I mutter, "that's almost two months." Sara nods. With a dry mouth, I say, "I should go home," before rushing past the hallways.

Since Cal wasn't home yet, I may have sobbed a bit. Although I should have seen this happen, I can't help but panic.

Red eyed, I glare into the mirror and think. Kids have always been a neutral thing before the whole Cal-electricity-royal thing. But that was with Kilorn, assuming we both survived conscription. During the war I haven't had any time to even imagine my future during the war, forget the prospect of having kids with Cal. However, after everything was over, when things were settling down, I was trying my best to stay in the present moment.

I imagine Cal and I, living in a house with a yard instead of this cramped apartment, with one, two, no three little kids who share our physical attributes. Laughing at the thought, I almost miss the sound of the door.

"Are you home, mare?" Cal calls out.

"Yeah," I reply from the bathroom, trying to sound calm. My voice cracks anyway.

While walking into the bathroom to find me, he pauses in the doorway. "What's wrong?"

"I'm pregnant," I say, meeting his eyes, my words quivering. His lips twitch, threatening to unleash a smile or frown I don't know.

"Really?" He breathes, leaning against the doorway.

"Yes, really," I snap. He lets a smile break through, bronze eyes sparking alight with life. Stepping forward, he wraps me in a hug, his warm skin touching mine. Remaining quiet in his grasp, once it becomes too tight, I ask,

"Are you happy?" I know it's a dumb question. I'm familiar enough with Cal to know that he is.

Loosening his grip to face me, he answers, "Yes. What made you think I didn't?"

I don't respond. Instead, he leans down to kiss me.

After parting our lips, Cal asks, "Have you told anyone else yet? When did you find out? Was it just today? How far along are you"

"Yeah, I just found out today. I'm seven weeks. I left work early and saw Sara. She knows. She's the one who told me. No one else knows yet." I answer.

Somehow his eyes brighten and his grin tightens more than it already is. His gaze dances down to my stomach.

"I'm not going to be showing anytime soon," I say.

"I know," Cal mutters. Slowly his hand travels to my stomach. Once his palm is flat against it, his eyes dart back to me. His lips flare up even more, as if feeling my stomach proved it true.

"So, you're really excited about this," I observe.

"Growing up, I always thought kids would be an obligation of mine, but then everything happened and I didn't have all the expectations I used too and then there was you. It's been something I've been thinking about constantly since we got back together," he explains.

"Wow. Cal, I had no idea-"

"I know. I didn't want to pressure you." He adds. "What do you think?" he asks hesitantly.

"I haven't really thought of it before," I admit, "but I'm warming up to the idea." His grin tightens.

Looking around, Cal notes, "I think we should start looking for a new place to live."

"I love you, Cal," I muse, laughing.

"I love you too, Mare."

 **Please comment who you want to find out in the next chapter.**


	5. The End

**I'm really sorry but I don't think I'm going to post another chapter to this story. I don't have the same inspiration and ideas that I did when I first started this and writing it is more cringy than it used to be. Perhaps I'll update it in the future but for now this is the end of the story.**


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